Safety swimming suit



A. THEN SAFETY SWIMMING SUIT Filed Dec. 1'7, 1957 April 16, 1940.

INVENTOR. Al 0/6 Tl/E/V Patented Apr. 16, 1940 UNlTED STATES,

SAFETY SWIMMING SUIT Alois Then, Astoria, N. Y.

Application December 17, 1937, Serial No. 180,271"

t 1 Claim. x01. 9-20) This invention relates to improvements in bathing and swimming apparel for persons of either sex and particularly to types in which the limbs are unimpeded and free for action.

The main object of the invention is to provide a single, one-piece garment having inflatable pockets and means for filling the same whereby the user may be buoyantly sustained while in the water.

A further feature is in the provision of a safety suit, easily put on or taken off and having compartments which may be inflated by the wearer as desired while in use.

Another purpose is to produce a safety garment, inexpensive to manufacture and which presents a comely appearance to an observer.

These meritorious objects 1 are performed by the novel construction and combination of parts further on fully described and indicated in the attendant drawing, forming a material portion of this disclosure, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevationalview of an embodiment of the invention, showing its application to a figure in broken lines. I

Figure 2 is a rear elevational View of the same.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4' is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the valve controlling the admission and release of air to the inflatable pockets.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, the waist or main portion of the drawing, designated by the numeral 15, is shown as neatly fitting the figure, and may be made by the usual construction methods, of any preferred textile material, preferably woven or knit, as an entity. Short legs It extend from the bottom at either side of the crotch I1, and at the upper edge areshoulder straps l8, their ends being connected by buckles l9 or other preferred fastening means.

A belt 20 surrounds the waist of thegarment, passing through appropriate loops 2| fixed thereto and held in adjustment by a buckle 22.

The improvement consists in the application to the front, rear and outer sides of the legs 1%,

pockets 25 of rubber or like flexible material capable of distension when inflated.

Connecting with these pockets are tubes 26, passingpreferably under the garment and connecting with the belt 20, as at 40, thence to the lower edge of a breast pocket 21, extending across Z maybe made that may the bosom of the wearer, while at its lower corners, other tubularconnections 29 communicate with a rear pocket 30, reaching between the shoulders-along the back.

At the center of the pocket 21 isinserted a tube 32 .of elliptical cross section, made of flex- .ible material, the same leading to a valve body 33 having a chamber 34. in which is a spherical valve plug 35 normally held in, a raised position against its seat bya coiled spring 36. v

In the top of the valve body are openings 37 and a guide for a stem 38 fixed in the spherical valve 35 at its inner lower end and provided at its upper extending end with a knob 39. r I

In operation, the mouth offthe user, or other person, is applied to the valve, forcing it from whereby a buoyant effect is obtained, sufiicient, ordinarily to partially or wholly support the wearer in water;

To release'the air it'is obviously necessary to press the knob 39 inwardly, whereupon an open passage is obtained. 3

While the foregoing is generally descriptive of the best known embodimentof the invention, it will be obvious that changes and modifications the subjoined claim;

Having thus described the invention and set forth the manner of its constructionand operation, what isfclaimed as new by Letters P atent,-is: j r

A one-piece swimming garment comprising a form fitting body enclosing portion including the breastand back and having short legs, straps atand desired to secure tached at the upper corners of the breast and back elements to pass over the shoulders, said straps providedlwith buckles, a belt encircling the I waist having -means for length adjustment, in-

flatable elements attached to the upper portions of the breast and back of the garment, said ele- 1 ments interconnected at their lowermost corners,

other inflatable elements secured over the front, rear and sides of said legs, tubes at the front of the garment on each side open to the first its seat and supplying air to the several pockets fall within the limits of named inflatable elements attheir intersecting to the mouth of a wearer for forcing exhaled air into all of said inflatable elements.

- ALOIS Tl-IEN.

- corners and at their lower ends to the inflatable elements on the legs, and valved means accessible I "PATENT omcs j 1 

